The pandemic accelerated digital consumption and has expanded the range of categories that people are willing to engage with online.
Sixty-three percent of US online adults reported participating in a new activity online, such as attending a religious service or an exercise class, looking for a date or shopping for a new car, per Forrester. As people, online services brands are expected to deliver smooth and efficient digital experiences.
“In 2022, customers are going to demand experiences that enable them to move seamlessly across digital and physical experiences,” said Fara Howard, Chief Marketing Officer at GoDaddy. “This is top of mind for me as a marketer and it’s also an imperative for us at GoDaddy as we continue to bring more commerce and payment options that enable our customers to sell anything, anywhere.”
More than three million consumers use meditation apps and searches in the category such as ‘yoga for beginners app’ and ‘mindfulness apps’ have increased by 65% year over year, per Appinventiv. As the category grows, a brand’s purpose will play an important role in helping consumers differentiate choice.
“Mission and brand will be more closely linked than ever before,” said Valerie Kaplan, Chief Marketing Officer at Headspace. “The experience of the pandemic has transformed us all and forced introspection about what matters most. Consumers and employees are more in-touch with their values and are making decisions about where to shop, where to work, and how to spend their time in order to align with those values. Just like individuals have been challenged to decide what they stand for, brands must do the same.”
“[I anticipate] more attention fragmentation and continued pressure for brands to demonstrate their beliefs/actions beyond making :15 and :30 second ads,” said Nicole Parlapiano, Vice President, Marketing North America at Tinder.
Dating apps, which remained popular during the pandemic, is expected to continue its growth trajectory reaching $3.72 billion in global revenues in 2022, per Business of Apps. As consumers continue to seek romantic connections digitally, expect to see offline values translated online including female empowerment.
“2022 will be the year of empowerment for women – where they not only have more clarity and the confidence to prioritize what they truly want, but also encourage their friends and peers to do the same,” said Shachar Scott, Vice President, Global Marketing, at Bumble. “There is nothing more important than a woman feeling empowered to make the first move in all areas of life and rallying together with other women in their community to support and lift each other up.”
The global automotive tire market is expected to grow from $112.16 billion in 2019 to $154.40 billion by 2027, per Allied Market Research. While tires were once considered an in-person purchase, online demand has been growing in recent years and the pandemic made more people comfortable ordering tires online. As this trend continues, brands that can answer questions and concerns through content marketing strategy will be better prepared for the next wave of shoppers.
“Brands that go outside their comfort zone on how to express their brand will break out next year,” said Phuong Peterson, Chief Marketing Officer at Simple Tires. “Brands can test different ways to create content, different types of formats to communicate their brand and finding new touchpoints. It will require flexibility and balance between the need for consistency versus control of brand identity.”
